Organisational aspirations
The organisation has now repositioned itself as a “Community Christian Organisation” that will host a church and associated services for its members and members of the community. This is in response and reaction to its developmental needs, the needs of its members and the local population.
Some development context
- We recognise that the multiplicity of humanity is real and this is reinforced by Biblical teachings, hence the organisation is now addressing the various facets of humanity and not just their spiritual being and existence
- We aim to have a holistic approach to service provision, by addressing and supporting the varied needs of members and the community and also ensuring that its service provisions attempt to give some cognition to this
- Demographic shift – it has been projected that the population of London residents, for example, will be approximately 60% black and minority ethnic group, hence the organisation is refocusing by addressing the needs of this growing population of which the African [and Nigerian] community is a major constituent.
- Social factors – there is the need to respond to some social trends, some not so palatable e.g. increase in knife and gun crime among youths, increase in teenage pregnancy and increase in social and health inequalities and deprivations indexes, highly [and sadly] represented by the Afro-Caribbean community. The organisation has positioned itself as a policy commentator and influencer in addressing these issues.
- National policy directives – many government policies now have a thread and theme of integration, engagement and involvement running through them. As a minority ethnic group and community, the organisation is starting to embrace this agenda, whilst ensuring it becomes a real player in influencing and positioning this community and group to respond to and implement mainstream policy directives that affect the well being of its members and the local community.
- Services design change – many of the public services are now designed to ensure there is integration and coordination of pathways. For example, health and social care, Joint Strategic Needs Assessment [JSNA], education and welfare, social housing and employment e.t.c Therefore, the organisation is now adopting some of the good practice framework this service design and delivery models bring by instituting them into its operations and services’ design and development.
- Youth exit – younger adult members tend to “graduate” from the youth fellowship to other Churches, or in some cases, no Churches at all. Hence, the organisation has developed a retention and support strategy to address this whilst also supporting the younger ones – of the Church and of the local community – in addressing and managing the social and ethical context they co-locate and co-exist with.